South Africa's aviation sector experiences a promising recovery during the festive season

South Africa’s aviation sector delivered a mixed but largely positive performance over the festive season, with air traffic movements showing a strong comeback in tourism and travel demand, despite some difficulties.

The Border Management Authority managed 7,787 aircraft during the festive season's operations, while Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille announced that South Africa recorded a record 10.48 million international arrivals between January and December 2025, marking a significant 17.6% increase compared to 2024.

Data released by Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) confirmed that the country's three major international airports, O.R. Tambo International, Cape Town International, and King Shaka International, all recorded increases in air traffic movement in December 2025 compared to the previous year.

The increase was particularly encouraging at the two busiest hubs, with both O.R. Tambo and Cape Town International exceeding their pre-Covid-19 traffic levels. O.R. Tambo saw a 3.61% increase, and Cape Town International recorded a 3.18% rise above the pre-pandemic benchmark.

"If people are flying around and taking vacations, it is good news for the economy," commented Professor Waldo Krugell, an economist at North-West University, linking the air traffic numbers directly to the increase in tourism seen at the end of last year.

"It would be even better if we also see more business travel this year," he added, highlighting the broader economic benefits.

Brett Tungay, national chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA), welcomed the data, calling it "a positive indicator of continued recovery and growth in travel and tourism".

He emphasised that "increased air connectivity directly supports the hospitality sector, driving demand for accommodation, restaurants, conferencing, and related services".

The performance of O.R. Tambo and Cape Town International, in particular, points to renewed confidence among travellers and improved airline capacity, he said.

"The fact that O.R. Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport have exceeded pre-Covid traffic levels is encouraging and reflects renewed traveller confidence, strong leisure demand, and improved airline capacity on key routes," Tungay noted.

However, the recovery story is not uniform. King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal, despite an 8.12% increase in December 2025 traffic compared to 2024, remains a concern as its traffic is still below pre-Covid levels.

Krugell suspects this is linked to "the broader tourism challenges in the province".

Tungay concurred, stating: "While the 8.12% increase at King Shaka International Airport is a positive sign, the fact that traffic remains below pre-Covid levels remains a concern. KwaZulu-Natal is a critical tourism and business destination, and sustained recovery at King Shaka is essential for the regional hospitality sector."

According to Tungay, continued focus on route development, competitive airport charges, reliable scheduling, and strong destination marketing will be required to accelerate recovery.

FEDHASA believes that sustained recovery and long-term growth will depend on close collaboration between government, aviation authorities, airports, airlines, and the tourism industry to resolve these operational constraints and build a resilient, globally competitive travel environment.

The festive season’s success was also marred by widely reported operational disruptions, particularly at O.R. Tambo, raising questions about the system's resilience under strain.

FEDHASA expressed concern over "persistent understaffing at Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), as well as delays in the renewal of instrument flight procedures".

These systemic issues, Tungay stated, "have resulted in flight delays, cancellations, and diversions, particularly during periods of poor weather, which negatively impact traveller confidence and place strain on hospitality operators and destinations."

The incident at O.R. Tambo on Sunday, January 4, 2026, where flight delays and diversions were caused by a combination of staffing shortages and severe thunderstorms, brought the operational vulnerabilities into sharp focus.

Airlink, a regional carrier, directly attributed the bulk of its delays to ATNS staffing shortages, with 31 of its flights delayed departing O.R. Tambo, leading to knock-on disruptions across a further 69 flights.

"The average departure delay at O.R. Tambo was 74 minutes," reported Linden Birns, Airlink public relations advisor. "This was in addition to the other delays caused by the Air Traffic Control staff shortages and traffic restrictions."

Ulrich Joubert, an independent economist, praised the overall growth but stressed that a strong tourism industry, South Africa’s key competitive advantage, demands robust infrastructure and safety.

"We need to expand and develop our tourist industry, and it will create jobs," he said, before adding a critical condition: "but to do that, we have to have good infrastructure."

He also pointed to the importance of security, saying: "We have to make sure that they have a safe stay in South Africa, whether that's for work or vacation."

While ATNS stated that it delivered "a world-class safe and efficient air traffic service" over the period, acknowledging the dedication of staff who often worked without festive leave, the industry consensus is that more work is needed.

Tungay stressed: "Addressing staffing shortages at ATNS and prioritising the timely renewal of instrument procedures are critical to improving service reliability."

The festive season confirmed that travel demand has returned, providing a much-needed boost to the economy.

However, Krugell stressed that for the country to fully capitalise on its renewed tourism momentum, "we should not forget the importance of air transport and getting things right at the airports and in aviation".

karen.singh@inl.co.za